Amazing Big 12 College Football Stats from Week 11

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Mack Brown takes spot in Big 12 Coach of the Year race

Amazing Big 12 College Football Stats from Week 11

The first number to know for this week’s Big 12 stats of the week is probably three. As in three contenders for Big 12 coach of the year.

All three superb coaching jobs were on display last week. First, there’s Art Briles, who has Baylor in the thick of the national championship race after picking up its key win of the season so far against Oklahoma.

Then there’s Bill Snyder, who started the season with an inexperienced team and four early losses, but he has led Kansas State to three consecutive wins, the latest on the road against Texas Tech.

Lastly, Texas’ Mack Brown could stake a legitimate claim at league coach of the year if the Longhorns remain undefeated in league play. Granted, Brown had to fire a coordinator he hired to help usher in the defensive rebound, but Texas has also dealt with a handful of key injuries through a 6-0 start in Big 12 play.

3.4. Oklahoma’s yards per play against BaylorPerhaps lost in Baylor’s win over Oklahoma on Thursday was how dominant the Bears’ defense was. The Bears held Oklahoma to 3.4 yards per play, the lowest average for the Sooners since a loss to TCU on Sept. 3, 2005. Baylor has held three Big 12 opponents to fewer than four years per play this season (Iowa State, Kansas and Oklahoma).

89.3. Rushing yards per game for Baylor redshirt freshman Shock LinwoodThe Baylor redshirt freshman is second only to teammate Lache Seastrunk in in the Big 12 in rushing yards per game despite carrying the ball only 15 times in the first half all season. With Seastrunk and Glasco Martin hurt, Linwood got his most extended action of the season, rushing for 182 yards on 23 carries against Oklahoma. Linwood is seventh in the Big 12 in total rushing yards despite having 46 fewer carries than any non-Baylor player ahead of him.

2. All-time overtime games for TexasTexas needed overtime to defeat West Virginia 47-40 on Saturday, but the most most shocking part of the game was that this was only Texas’ second game to end in overtime. The other overtime game was a 30-27 loss to Oklahoma in 1996, the season the format was established. Texas and Kansas State have played the fewest overtime games for current Big 12 teams at two apiece.

6. Consecutive Texas winsAnother surprising number from Texas: The Longhorns have won six games in a row for the first time since winning 17 in a row from Nov. 8, 2008 to Dec. 5, 2009. That win streak was ended by Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game.

4. Starters for Texas in the opener now injuredTexas announced this week that defensive tackle Chris Whaley (knee) and running back Johnathan Gray (ACL) will miss the remainder of the season with injuries. The Longhorns already lost linebacker Jordan Hicks for the season, and former starting quarterback David Ash has no timetable for a return from a head injury.

24. Sacks for Texas since Greg Robinson took overTexas’ defense is better in a handful of ways since the Longhorns fired defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and replaced him with Greg Robinson. The biggest difference was in the pass rush. Texas sacked West Virginia six times Saturday. That included four sacks on starting quarterback Clint Trickett, who only attempted four passes before leaving with an injury. After recording no sacks in losses to BYU and Ole Miss, Texas has 24 in six conference games. No one else in the Big 12 averages better than 2.8 sacks in league play.

175. Career wins for Bill Snyder, all at Kansas StateWith a 49-26 win over Texas Tech, Bill Snyder became the 46th coach to win 175 career games by only the 11th to win 175 at only one school.

Plus-6. Kansas State’s turnover margin in the last three gamesPart of Kansas State’s turnaround in the last three weeks has been a Snyder staple of winning the turnover battle. Kansas State was minus-9 through its 2-4 start this season, but was plus-1 against West Virginia, plus-2 against Iowa State and plus-3 Saturday against Texas Tech, all comfortable wins. The Wildcats are still minus-3 for the season, but they haven’t finished in the red for a season since 2008 under Ron Prince.

Minus-22. Texas Tech’s turnover margin at home in the last three seasonsLubbock used to be one of the best home field advantages in the Big 12, but that trend has reversed. The Red Raiders are minus-22 in turnover margin at home in the last three seasons, including a minus-10 mark in 2013. (Hat tip to @AaronDickens)

3. Offensive categories where TCU’s Trevone Boykin contributesOne of the major differences in TCU’s offense following the return of starting quarterback Casey Pachall has been the use of former starting quarterback Trevone Boykin. The sophomore lined up under center at times in the win at Iowa State but never threw a pass. Instead, he rushed for 29 yards and three touchdowns on five carries. A week earlier, Boykin caught 11 passes for 100 yards from Pachall. That gives him the unique stat line for 1,176 passing yards, 303 rushing yards and 165 receiving yards.

6. Starting quarterbacks for Iowa State under Paul RhoadsIowa State has had trouble finding a starting quarterback since Austen Arnaud’s career ended due to injury during his senior season. On Saturday against TCU, Grant Rohach became the sixth different starting quarterback Rhoads had had at Iowa State since 2009, joining Sam Richardson, Steele Jantz, Jerome Tiller and Arnaud.

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